WORCESTER, Mass. — The city of Worcester has committed or spent around $100 million of the $146 million it received through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Some of the remaining funds have already been earmarked and the city says it's making progress to allocate all the money before the ARPA deadline of Dec. 31.

Most of the funding used thus far, more than $68 million, has already gone towards community initiatives like housing, as well as to infrastructure and technology. More than $37 million has gone to public infrastructure and public assetts, and just under $3 million has benefitted public health efforts.

ARPA funds will also be used to address revenue recovery for the city. City Manager Eric Batista said in a letter to Worcester City Councilors, the pandemic had a significant impact on city's revenues, adding they're critical to maintaining infrastructure, education and keeping Worcester safe.

"One of the themes we have communicated since the beginning of ARPA was that we would have a fluid budget that would respond to emerging and persistent needs in the community. Sometimes those emerging needs have resulted in changes to state and federal funding that we monitor closely," Batista said.